Clamping and shaping tool

ABSTRACT

A multi-functional tool with clamping- and shaping jaws (14) is to be created, which is quickly adaptable to the respective different application uses and which can provide if need be not only high clamping- rather also high shaping forces. 
     This is achieved by guiding the tool jaws (14) by means of guide elements (15) aligned essentially in feed or advance direction in the basic member (2) or in the trolley (3), that the tool jaws (14) are retained by means of a centered clamping element (16, 17, 19) in their working position and that, in addition to a spindle drive (5-7) for moving the trolley relative to the basic member (2), at least one additional mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and/or electromotive feed element (12) actuatable by a pedal (12a) is provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a clamping- and deformation or shaping toolwith tool jaws fastened so as to be replaceable at a stationary basicmember on the one hand and on a mobile trolley on the other hand withthe jaws being movable against each other by means of a spindle drivesimilar to a bench vise.

Clamping tools having a spindle drive and being manually actuatable,so-called bench vises, are known in different embodiments. Herein it isalso known, to design the clamping jaws depending upon the applicationpurpose differently and replaceably, in which connection we merely referto the DE-C-34 30 814 or DE-A-41 37 927 by way of an example. Theproblem of designing clamping jaws so as to be replaceable iscomparatively old so that very old solutions are known, for instance theDE-C-28 49 92 or DE-C-34 14 34.

In deformation or shaping tools it is necessary to generate highdeformation forces, which frequently cannot be supplied by a vise whichis manually actuated through a spindle drive, so that it is known to usemechanical step-up gearing as a drive also in order to generate highclamping forces, as is for instance described in the FR-C-1 054 956 orDE-A-2 058 806.

The need often arises to use a tool permitting all of the followingtasks to be performed on work benches for accomplishing the mostdiffering processing problems, as for instance bending of differentshapes, riveting, embossing, crimping, stamping, cutting flat-, round-and profiled material as well as steel pipe, non-ferrous metal, plasticsmaterial, textile or similar materials.

This necessitates to equip this workbench with mechanical poweractuation, to integrate auxiliary means such as adjustable stops andstraight edges into same and to dispose in such a bench quick-changetools appropriate for the task in this bench vise.

Tools for these tasks usually consist of two parts, these can be in theform of plates as cutting- or embossing tools and similar, on the onehand, and as counter parts or anvils for this, on the other hand. Theseplates need to be aligned with respect to one another in a positionallyaccurate way.

In known solutions which also include the DE-C-32 11 521 of theapplicants or the U.S. Pat. No. 1,799,526 and the U.S. Pat. No.2,489,731, answers for only partial regions are offered, meaning eitheran adaptation of the clamping jaw to different task definitions ispossible or the application of higher clamping forces. Contrary to thatit is the task of the invention to create a multi-functional tool, whichis respectively quickly adaptable to different usage purposes and whichif necessary can provide not only high clamping-, but rather also highdeformation forces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This task is solved in the invention with a clamping- and deformationtool of the type described above by providing guidance elements in thebasic member or trolley for aligning the tool jaws, with the guidanceelements being essentially aligned in feed direction, and with the tooljaws being retained in their working position by a central clampingelement, and by providing, in addition to the spindle drive, at leastone additional pedal-activated drive. By guiding the tool jaws in thebasic member or the trolley an exact positioning is made possible, whichis necessary for performing accurate work. Simple handling and quickadaptation to different types of work are feasible by providingquick-change devices for the tool jaws, wherein the application ofhigher clamping or deformation forces is enabled by the additional feed-or advance-element.

The L-shaped design of the tool jaws with appropriate guides in theother tool elements enables a precise alignment of the tool jaws. Thedesign of the quick change device with a pull head and pull pinsubjected to spring action makes it possible to provide here dependingupon the prestress a manual actuation by means of a push key, wherein avery compact construction is possible for instance by means of aninternal bore in the push key and the thereby assured possibility ofactuating the prestressing nut.

Apart from other possibilities of generating a deformation force a footoperated linkage is available, wherein the transfer of the applicationplane of the actuating linkage into a plane in front of the stationarytool jaw again results in a very compact and simple type ofconstruction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described with particularly in the following with thehelp of examples in the drawing. It is shown in:

FIG. 1 a simplified illustration as a longitudinal section through thetool in the invention,

FIG. 2 a magnified illustration of a portion of the tool jaw quickchange device as well as in

FIG. 3 a partial view upon the attachment region of the tool jaws.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The tool generally designated with the numeral 1 is fastened with itsbasic member 2, wherein a trolley is movable in guide rails 4, to a workbench shown in dash-dotted lines and not designated in more detail inthis case.

The movement of the trolley 3 is performed by a feed or advance element,which in the example shown consists of a spindle sleeve 5 supported inthe basic member 2 and a spindle 6 fastened in the trolley, whichspindle engages into the spindle sleeve 5. The front portion of thespindle sleeve 5 is stepped and is supported so as to be axiallydisplaceable in a stepped bore in the basic member. A bushing 7 isdisposed rotatably on the spindle sleeve 5, which bushing sits on theone side at a collar of the spindle sleeve 5 and on the other side isfixed in axial direction by a lock washer 8.

A bar linkage 12 pivotable in the basic member 2 around a bolt 11engages with a cam 10 into an annular groove 9 in the bushing 7. The barlinkage 12 is height-adjustable and is actuated by the pedal 12a.

The bushing 7 with the spindle sleeve 5 as well as the spindle 6 andwith it the trolley 3 is longitudinally movable in the region of thespacing between the step of the spindle sleeve 5 and the planar side ofthe bushing 7 facing this step by operating the bar linkage 12. Thetrolley 3 however can also be moved by rotating the spindle sleeve 5 onthe spindle 6. Herein the bushing 7 together with the spindle sleeve 5abuts at the basic member 2. The hand lever or clamp handle 13 forexerting the rotary motion is disposed in the foremost portion of thespindle sleeve 5.

Tool jaws 14 are fastened so as to be replaceable in the top region ofthe basic member 2 and the trolley 3. The tool jaws 14 are configured tobe L-shaped respectively at the side facing the basic member 2 or thetrolley 3 and engage in a positively locking manner into correspondingrecesses 22 in the basic member 2 or the trolley 3. The tool jaws 14 arepositioned by means of fixed pins 15 respectively in the basic member 2and the trolley 3, which pins engage into bores of the tool jaws 14, soas to prevent sidewise displacement.

A quick change arrangement "S", comprising a pull-head 16 with a pullpin 16a, a nut 17, a push key 18, a spring 19, a snap ring 20 and a pin21, is disposed in a stepped bore 23 in the base member 2 and trolley 3respectively.

The pull pin 16a consists of a threaded portion in the head 16, whereinthe head 16 is flattened and rests with its flattening upon a recess 22of the tool plate receptacle in the basic member 2 or the trolley 3.

The nut 17 is rotatable in the stepped bore 23 on the threaded portionof the pull pin 16a. The spring 19 is disposed between anannularly-shaped attachment of the nut 17 and the annular surface of thestepped bore 23. Upon engagement of the head 16 of the pull pin 16a intothe groove of the respective tool jaw 14, this jaw is pulled by thespring 19 into a positively locking L-shaped receptacle.

A rotatable connection is established by a snap ring 20 disposed inannular grooves upon an extension of the nut 17 and a bore in the pushkey 18. The push key 18 is secured against turning by a pin 21 whichengages into an elongated hole of the push pin 18.

Tools such as a screw driver or an internal hexagonal wrench can bebrought into connection with a slot or an internal hexagon in the nut 17through a longitudinal bore in the push key 18. The nut 17 can thus, ifneed be, be tightly bolted against the bore extension to the pull pin16a whereby a fixed connection of the respective tool jaw 14 with thebasic member 2 or the trolley 3 can be established through theconnection of the hook of the pull pin 16 and groove in the tool jaw 14.Upon disconnecting this connection only the nut 17 must be loosened andthen moved longitudinally by means of the push key 18 whereby the tooljaw 14 is released.

I claim:
 1. A clamping and shaping tool comprising:a set of pairs ofreplaceable tool jaws, with each pair of replaceable tool jaws having apredetermined shape; a stationary basic member and a mobile trolley,displaceable relative to said basic member, for supporting tool jaws ofa respective pair of tool jaws; means provided in each of saidstationary basic member and said mobile trolley and aligned in adisplacement direction of said mobile trolley for aligning the tool jawsof the respective pair of tool jaws; quick release means provided ineach of said stationary basic member and said mobile trolley forretaining the tool jaws in an operational position thereof; a spindledrive for displacing said mobile trolley toward and away from saidstationary basic member; and foot-activated pedal displacement means forapplying increased clamping and deformation forces to said mobiletrolley.
 2. A clamping and shaping tool according to claim 1, whereinthe tool jaws are substantially L-shaped, wherein said stationary basicmember and said mobile trolley have each complimentary means forreceiving respective L-shaped tool jaws in a positively locking manner,wherein said aligning means comprises pin means for engagingcorresponding recesses in a respective tool jaw, and wherein said quickrelease means comprises a hook-shaped pull member engaging into anengagement groove in the respective tool jaws and a spring for biasingsaid hook-shaped pull member into a position in which the respectivetool jaws are positively lockingly received in said stationary basicmember and said movable trolley.
 3. A clamping and shaping toolaccording to claim 2, wherein said hook-shaped pull member has a headengaging into said engagement groove in the respective tool jaw, and apin, said quick release means further comprising a push key connectedwith said pin and projecting beyond an external contour of saidstationary basic member and said mobile trolley, respectively.
 4. Aclamping and shaping tool according to claim 3, wherein said quickrelease means further comprises a nut engageable with said spring forprestressing said spring, said pin extending through said nut.
 5. Aclamping and shaping tool according to claim 4, wherein said push keycooperates with said nut and has an internal bore for actuating saidnut.
 6. A clamping and shaping tool according to claim 5, wherein saidquick release means further comprises a pin for securing said push keyagainst rotation, and said nut is provided with one of a screwdriverslot and an internal hexagon.
 7. A clamping and shaping tool accordingto claim 5, wherein said nut is provided with one of a screwdriver slotand an internal hexagon.
 8. A clamping and shaping tool according toclaim 1, wherein said pedal displacement means includes a bar linkagecooperating with said mobile trolley for displacing the same with theincreased force.
 9. A clamping and shaping tool according to claim 8,further comprising a spindle bushing connected to said mobile trolleyfor displacement therewith and having an annular groove, said stationarybasic member having an opening trough which said bar linkage extends,and said bar linkage having at an end thereof remote from afoot-operated pedal one of an engagement cam and a fork engaging intosaid annular groove of said spindle bushing.